Importance Of Impulsive Decisions In Romeo And Juliet

Both teenagers and adults alike make impulsive decisions that one later regrets. Merriam Webster Dictionary defines impulsive as “doing things or tending to do things suddenly and without careful thought”. Impulsive decisions often cause regret because they result in avoidable consequences. In William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, the main characters’ impulsive decisions lead to their downfall. This cautions adolescents in the twenty-first century to think about the possible outcomes of their actions, thus proving Shakespeare’s point that teenagers should think through their decisions before they act.
Throughout the course of the play, Romeo’s irresponsible decisions cause a chain of bad events, revealing that acting prior to thinking can further complicate a situation. After learning that the girl he loves, Rosaline, will remain celibate, Romeo finds out that she is on the guest list for the Capulet family’s party. He explains his doubts about attending the party to his friends: “Some consequence yet hanging in the starsShall bitterly begin his fearful dateWith this night’s revels, and expire the termOf a despised life closed in my breastBy some vile forfeit of untimely death” (I.iv.113–18). Romeo is clearly hesitant about attending the party. He inquires that attending this party will cause “untimely death” and then almost immediately disregards these suspicions. He first meets Juliet at this party, which complicates his life as their families have an old feud. Romeo’s